Telangana allows 10-hour workdays for commercial establishments; overtime pay applicable beyond 48 hours
Telangana government
has approved a key change to labour regulations, allowing
commercial establishments
(excluding shops) to increase daily working hours from the current 8 hours to 10 hours, as per TOI. However, the move comes with strict conditions, including a cap of 48 working hours per week and mandatory
overtime pay
for additional hours.
The order, issued on Saturday by M Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary of the Labour Department, will take effect from July 8, following its publication in the official gazette.
While extending daily working hours, the government has retained the 48-hour weekly ceiling, meaning employers will have to reduce working hours later in the week if employees are asked to work longer hours earlier. Any work done beyond this limit will require employers to pay overtime wages, the notification clarified.
The order is seen as part of Telangana's effort to align with the Centre's push for 'ease of doing business' and mirrors similar moves by other states, including
Andhra Pradesh
, which raised its daily limit from nine to ten hours last month.
Breaks and maximum daily limits
To safeguard worker welfare, the state has mandated that no employee can be made to work more than six hours at a stretch without a minimum rest interval of 30 minutes. Additionally, the total duration of work, including breaks, must not exceed 12 hours in a day.
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Further, employees may be asked to work more than 48 hours a week, but only with overtime pay and subject to a maximum of 144 hours in a quarter. Employers violating these conditions risk having their exemption revoked without prior notice, the order warned.
Factory work hours may be next
Labour department officials told The Times of India that the state is also considering a similar extension for factory workers. 'Many states are contemplating making the change following a directive from the Centre to promote ease of doing business,' an official said.
The changes have sparked debate, with some industry players welcoming the flexibility and others raising concerns about employee wellbeing. A poll accompanying the announcement asked the public whether they support the change, with responses likely to influence future decisions, particularly if the government extends these rules to factories.
With the order set to take effect in just a few days, commercial establishments, especially those in the hospitality, IT, and ITeS sectors, are expected to begin adjusting their internal schedules and HR policies accordingly.
With inputs from TOI
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